


Lightning in a Bottle

by Fernon



Series: Not Broken; Just Bent [7]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Cute, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Travel, Vacation, the epilogue is here, yall wanted the cute stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:01:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26028394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fernon/pseuds/Fernon
Summary: Wonwoo isn't afraid anymore.
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu
Series: Not Broken; Just Bent [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1487822
Comments: 9
Kudos: 173





	Lightning in a Bottle

**Author's Note:**

> And finally we have... the epilogue. Sorry it took so long, writers block and life got in my way, so I took a little break from writing and I have a horrible habit of never finishing the things that I start.

“Babe, I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” Mingyu whines, before unceremoniously flopping over the back of Wonwoo’s couch and directly on top of him. Wonwoo lets out a soft ‘oof’ but doesn’t mind, instead opts for laughing as his boyfriend nuzzles his face into Wonwoo’s chest.

“Babe, it hasn’t even been a week,” Wonwoo giggles.

“I know but you went to Japan all by yourself and you left me here to  _ work _ ,’ Mingyu pouts.

“Well it’s your last two weeks at the bar, babe. I thought maybe you’d want to… relish in the fact that that’s the place we first met,” Wonwoo tries.

“Ew, you’ve gone soft. And we both know it’s because I had to train my replacement, so I couldn’t take the time off.” Mingyu says, pressing a kiss to Wonwoo’s neck. Wonwoo’s hand starts rubbing Mingyu’s back gently. 

“Well why would you when you’re head chef now? You get to be all executive and give orders. You basically  _ rule _ the kitchen.”

“Yeah, and it’s great.” Mingyu laughs and then hits play on the remote, and they pick right up where they left off on the marathon. Wonwoo’s mind wanders, thinking about any and everything between the show they’re watching to his future with Mingyu, to the warm, homey feeling taking over what was his bachelor pad just over a year ago.

The future is what sticks in Wonwoo’s mind though, because it excites him. He’s no longer terrified of getting old and being lonely forever, and he’s no longer terrified of losing Mingyu, and he no longer hates who he used to be. He recognizes that he wouldn’t be where he is today without his old self, and he’s glad that he bloomed from it’s soil, the soil that he thought nothing would ever sprout in.

Here he is, a sunflower in full bloom, reaching for the sun and it’s warmth.

Here he is, having hopes and dreams for the future, imagining Mingyu in every piece of it.

Here he is, laying with his perfect boyfriend, while he rubs Mingyu’s back absent mindedly, while Mingyu mouths at his neck with soft, urgent lips.

_ Oh. _

That mouth, asking, wanting, yearning, Wonwoo realizes.

Mingyu’s hands are up under his shirt between the two of them, brushing over his nipples, teeth grazing the flesh of his skin.

“Babe. What are you thinking about?” Mingyu stops to ask, looking at his boyfriend seriously. 

“You. The future.” Wonwoo replies bluntly. Mingyu coos and kisses him softly.

“You’re so cute. What do you mean?”

“Just about how I want you in it,” Wonwoo says wistfully. Mingyu smiles, an eyebrow raised, but then kisses him again, much more fervently. 

“Awe, how cute! But stop thinking, I missed your dick.”

Wonwoo sputters on that response, and Mingyu sits up, now straddling Wonwoo, and starts tugging at his sweatpants. Instantly all thoughts are gone from Wonwoo’s head except for pleasing Mingyu.

After it’s all said and done, Wonwoo lays there beside Mingyu, breathless and in love, at the sight of his boyfriend beside him, hair messy and eyes sleepy. “We should get married.” Wonwoo blurts. Shit. He hadn’t meant that. At least not so soon.

But Mingyu just giggles and leans in to press a light kiss to Wonwoo’s mouth. “Someday, we will.” 

And there’s something about that answer that doesn’t hurt, like Wonwoo thought it could. Instead, it fills him with hope.

Perhaps it filled him with too much hope, because another three months go by and Wonwoo is itching with anticipation. “When is he going to ask, Jihoon?” Wonwoo groans, sprawled out on his friends’ couch after a night of too much drinking. Wonwoo had declared that he wanted to spend some time with his friends this Friday night, after Mingyu had kissed him and told him he had inventory to take care of tonight, so he wouldn’t be home until late anyhow. 

“Oh my god, you could just get a ring and ask him, Wonwoo.” Soonyoung rolls his eyes and brushes his teeth, checking the baby monitor again. The two of them had just adopted a little girl all of three months ago, who they called Yujin. She’s the sweetest thing, just under a year old, and they’d arrived home and sent the babysitter out as Wonwoo slumped on the couch.

“No, he said  _ someday _ , Soonyoung. I don’t know when  _ someday _ could be,” Wonwoo whines. Jihoon rolls his eyes. 

“Good lord, Mingyu needs to come pick your dumbass up. You’re so whiny when you’re drunk, when did that happen? You used to just get horny.”

“I didn’t always get this drunk.” Wonwoo mumbles. 

“Well now you’re a softy  _ and  _ a lightweight because you had two shots of tequila and a margarita and you’re gone.” Soonyoung props him up on the couch while Jihoon calls Mingyu.

“ _ And  _ two white Russians, Soon.” Wonwoo giggles and his head rolls onto Soonyoung’s shoulder. “I wanna go to bed.” Wonwoo pouts.

“Well you can’t, until Mingyu comes to pick you up.” Jihoon says. “He’s on his way.”

“Mingyu? What am I gonna do? I wanna get married!” Wonwoo throws his arms up.

“So then ask him when you’re sober.”

“No, he doesn’t want to yet.”

“Then don’t ask him.”

“But I wanna! We’re gonna go to New York for Seokmin and Chan’s wedding! And it’s gonna make me all smushy inside cause  _ I  _ wanna get married too.” Wonwoo babbles. He keeps babbling too, and there’s no attempt from either Jihoon or Soonyoung to stop him. He goes on for so long that the front door opens and Mingyu is calling in.

“Hello? I’m here to ‘collect my drunk man’ as Jihoon said.”

“Mingoooooo!” Wonwoo coos and rolls off the couch to the floor with a thump and then he takes off for the front door of Jihoon and Soonyoung’s house. He sees his boyfriend and hugs him. “I missed you!”

“I missed you too, you goof. Wow, you really are wasted. Let’s go home, yeah?”

“Yes!” Wonwoo beams. 

“Alright. Thanks for taking care of him, guys. Nice seeing you!” Mingyu waves as Wonwoo is leaning heavily on him, arms around Mingyu tightly. “Let’s get you to bed, babe.” Mingyu presses a kiss to his forehead.

“Are we goin’ to yours or mine?” Wonwoo slurs a little then, now seated in the front seat, his eyes growing heavy. Mingyu backs out of the driveway, concentrating on his task.

“Mine. It’s closer, and I don’t think you’re going to make the ride home.”

He’s right, Wonwoo nods off after a good two minutes, and he half remembers Mingyu scooping him up in his arms and carrying him to the elevator. Wonwoo hates the elevator, groaning and holding his stomach.

“Please, for the love of god, do not throw up in the elevator of my fucking building,” Mingyu pleads. Wonwoo makes it to Mingyu’s apartment before promptly throwing up in his kitchen garbage can. Mingyu gets him a glass of water and instructs him to sit by the toilet and drink it until he’s back from throwing the garbage into the dumpster. So Wonwoo does, drinking his water diligently, and even getting up to get a second glass. He’s halfway through it when he hears Mingyu re-enter the apartment, and he stands to shuffle to the kitchen.

“M’sorry, Gyu…” Wonwoo pouts, rubbing his eyes. Mingyu looks over his shoulder from where he’s at the sink washing his hands, and he lets out a little ‘tsk’ and dries his hands. Mingyu then walks over to Wonwoo and wraps him in a hug.

“I’m not mad babe. Did you have fun at least?” Mingyu says into his hair.

“Yeah. Until we got in the elevator.” Wonwoo pouts.

“Do you feel better?” Mingyu chuckles. 

“Yes, but m’still drunk.”

“I know babe. Let me get you some pretzels, and you can have some while I put a new bag in the garbage can and get you some pajamas. Okay?” Mingyu has him sit at one of the barstools at the counter and sets a bag of pretzels in front of them. Wonwoo munches on them while Mingyu takes care of his few tasks. Wonwoo starts looking around the apartment, suddenly noticing how empty it seems. There’s still furniture, and personal touches, but most of Mingyu’s important and highly used things are at Wonwoo’s. His houseplants are even at Wonwoo’s, he realizes. Wonwoo doesn’t remember the last time he and Mingyu spent more than a night or two here together, nor the last time Mingyu was here on his own. Wonwoo supposes it was when he went to visit his mom and dad last Christmas, or maybe his last trip to Japan, but Wonwoo is pretty sure that Mingyu stayed at his house for most of that trip anyways.

They still hold the game nights with Mingyu’s friends here every other Saturday night, the card table tucked in the corner with it’s chairs, but even the side tables had gathered a fine layer of dust, which is unlike Mingyu (Wonwoo’s apartment, on the other hand, has never looked more immaculate). 

Wonwoo finishes his second glass of water, and Mingyu pads into the kitchen, clad in an oversized sweater and boxers, and he’s got a pair of sweatpants that are obviously from the bottom of his drawer, because Mingyu’s never worn them in all the time Wonwoo’s been with him. “This is all I could find, sorry babe. I think all my pajamas were hijacked by you,” Mingyu laughs softly and places a kiss to his lips. 

“Go brush your teeth, okay? I’ll get you another glass of water to put beside bed.” 

Wonwoo shuffles to the bathroom and finds his designated toothbrush in the cup beside Mingyu’s. He smiles a little and squeezes probably a too large amount of toothpaste onto his brush and then brushes his teeth sleepily, stripping out of his shirt and jeans and into the sweatpants that Mingyu handed him, that aren’t too huge on him, like most of Mingyu’s sweatpants, and then shuffles to Mingyu’s room. He flops on the bed and nuzzles into Mingyu’s pillow with a sigh.

“Wonu, scoot over babe.” Mingyu nudges him gently and Wonwoo groans in response. He eventually rolls more onto one half of the bed than the other, and Mingyu sets down a few painkillers and Wonwoo’s glass of water on the beside table, telling him ‘for tomorrow.’ Wonwoo just hums and Mingyu makes him lay on his side, facing out from him.

“But Gyu,” Wonwoo whines.

“No, it’s in case you get sick. I’ll still cuddle you, okay?” Mingyu says, slipping his arms around Wonwoo’s waist and tangling their legs together. 

“How come we stay at mine so much?” Wonwoo mumbles after a few minutes. 

“I dunno.”

“How come you even have this place anymore?”

There’s silence for a few beats, and then Mingyu is speaking. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

“I mean… I dunno, I just wondered. I wouldn’t mind it, we practically live together anyways.”

“Maybe we should. I wouldn’t mind either.”

“But maybe we shouldn’t stay in my stupid bachelor pad. It’s not even a bachelor pad anymore. I wanna get our own place, Gyu.” 

Mingyu is quiet. Quiet for longer than Wonwoo is comfortable, in conversations like this. Wonwoo is hit with a wave of sobriety and it’s almost dizzying how fast it comes. He squirms a little. “I- it’s too soon for that, isn’t it? Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“No, no, Won. I- I like that idea. I just- I thought since you’re- well you were drinking, I didn’t really know if you were serious or not.”

It’s Wonwoo’s turn to be quiet, and he rolls over to face Mingyu.

“I’m 100 percent serious, Gyu. I want- I want this, I want you.” Wonwoo stares seriously into Mingyu’s eyes.

Mingyu’s smile is sleepy, but happy. “Really?”

“Yes, Mingyu. Really.” Wonwoo tries to keep looking serious but his body is feeling less sober again, and Mingyu’s smile is infectious. Mingyu shifts forward to get a kiss out of Wonwoo, and they agree to talk more in the morning. 

Two months later, they’re renting a small house with two bedrooms just on the edge of their little city- on the edge enough that they have a decent backyard but still have neighbors they can wave to when they leave for work in the morning. The neighborhood is mostly older couples, whose children have their own homes now, and they’re all welcoming to their two new neighbors. They all offer to help them move in, but Mingyu and Wonwoo both politely decline. Mingyu pats Wonwoo’s shoulder and says they’re both strong young men and the ladies in the neighborhood absolutely  _ swoon _ over Mingyu’s dazzling smile (Wonwoo does too). 

Their furniture came first, which Wonwoo had groaned about and struggled quite a bit to help with the lifting and the moving, because, well, lifting was never his thing. Mingyu had giggled at his ‘noodle arms’ and Wonwoo proceeded to pout instead of carry the couch with Mingyu. Mingyu just placed a kiss on his forehead and any pout on Wonwoo’s face washed away. They sold half the furniture between the two of their apartments, because it definitely wasn’t all fitting in their new little house. 

Once the furniture is moved in, it’s time for the  _ real _ move in. It’s time for everything that really means  _ them _ . Photos of them together, momentos from their fun times together, Mingyu’s favorite blanket, Wonwoo’s favorite books, Mingyu’s trinkets from his trips, Wonwoo’s framed degrees, that they hang in Wonwoo’s new little office in the mudroom, which overlooks their backyard and has a little sliding glass door out onto their porch. Wonwoo doesn’t need much space for a desk and a chair, and it tucks in perfectly with the washer and dryer in the room, as well as a comfy chair for Mingyu to relax in while Wonwoo works, if he wants to hang around.

Wonwoo sets the last box in the living room with a groan. “Gyu, my arms are so tired!” Wonwoo whines. Mingyu laughs and comes into the room from where he’s been unpacking dishes and pans in the kitchen and smiles at his boyfriend. 

“Oh, my poor Wonwoo boy,” Mingyu pouts right back and comes over, wrapping his arms around Wonwoo. “Lemme see your arms, how bad are they? Will we have to cut them off? Oh no!” 

Mingyu raises Wonwoo’s arm and Wonwoo raises an eyebrow. “What?”

“Wonwoo, my twig boy! You’re not a twig anymore! Look at that muscle!” Mingyu giggles, pinching his bicep gently. Wonwoo rolls his eyes at that statement until Mingyu stage mumbles, “it’s kinda hot,” before Wonwoo can say anything more. 

Wonwoo laughs. “It’s not even that much, I thought you liked my twig ass,” Wonwoo fakes a pout.

“I do, but this Wonwoo is pretty hot too, you’re all sweaty, and your sleeves all rolled up…” Mingyu smirks, nudging closer. “You know, it’s a new house, we have to christen it,” Mingyu purrs in his ear, teeth grazing Wonwoo’s earlobe. 

“You are insatiable!” Wonwoo guffaws.

“You like it,” Mingyu kisses along his jaw, one hand reaching around his waist and the other snaking down his back to grab his ass. “Ooh, there’s a little something there!”

“Don’t sound so delighted,” Wonwoo presses his hand to Mingyu’s chest.

“Oh but I am.” Mingyu giggles. 

“Come on Gyu, we have a lot of unpacking to do,” Wonwoo kisses Mingyu’s cheek and slips past him, getting back to work. 

“But Wonu!” Mingyu groans. “I don’t like unpacking the kitchen!”

“Yes you do, you organization master. Imagine if  _ I _ put all the pans in the cupboards, they’d just be stacked every which way and thrown on the shelves… or the silverware, it’d just be a drawer full of them, not like those cool organizers…”

“Don’t lie, your kitchen was neat in your old apartment. The silverware organizer is  _ literally _ from your apartment.” Mingyu calls back from the kitchen. 

“I know but you  _ like _ kitchens, and it was only organized because I never cooked.”

“And that’s why we took your unused kitchenware.” Mingyu laughs. 

“Exactly! We were a match made in heaven!”

They’re finally settled in another three days later (and every room in the house had been ‘christened’  _ thoroughly _ ), when Mingyu starts acting weird. Wonwoo chalks it up to getting used to the environment, and having taken time off making him stress. He’s been frantically cleaning the already clean surfaces, he even re-shampooed the carpet in the living room, and he’d gone into the basement where he had some of his lifting equipment and spent some time lifting that morning. Wonwoo was barely done with his first coffee for the day.

So Wonwoo sets his book down and shuffles to the bathroom, where Mingyu is scrubbing at the sink. Wonwoo shuffles over and wraps his arms around Mingyu’s waist, making Mingyu freeze.

“Hey, Gyu, what’s up, babe?”

“Just cleaning, is all,” Mingyu replies, continuing once again to scrub. 

“Mmmm, but babe, the house was cleaned before we moved in. And then we cleaned it anyways before we moved everything in. You wanna come for a run with me? It really clears my head.”

Mingyu pauses again. “Okay. Let me finish this sink and then we can go.”

“Okay, sounds good.” Wonwoo rubs his back gently and presses a kiss to Mingyu’s shoulder, and then shuffles to their room to change. Wonwoo couldn’t possibly fathom what would have Mingyu so worked up. He had to make the shift schedule for the week, and prepare the menu for the week, but there were no problems with that. They’d gotten their first rental payment this week, and it was higher than Mingyu’s old rent by  _ far _ , it was almost as much as Wonwoo’s bachelor pad was a month, but either way, they paid bills together, and Wonwoo’s pay would have covered it and then some. Mingyu’s mom had called last night, but Mingyu loved hearing from his mom, and Mingyu’s mom  _ adored _ Wonwoo.

Wonwoo couldn’t put it together. What had Mingyu so worked up? There’s no way it was something small, because Mingyu couldn’t care about keeping small things from anyone. He wasn’t the person to let little things get to him, he just took care of them as they happened. Like a dish in the sink that was forgotten just after he’d loaded the dishwasher. There was no groan, there was no ‘are you fucking kidding me?’ it was just a quiet pause and place into the dishwasher. Or when Wonwoo had a rough day and went picking fights, it was an awful habit and he’d worked well past it, but right in the beginning of it all, he used to be terrible. Mingyu would pry, hoping to help, to make things better, and Wonwoo would snap. All Mingyu would say was ‘you’re being a cranky baby, we need to talk it out like mature adults so I can help you.’

Little things, they didn’t get to Mingyu. Never ever. They got to Wonwoo all the time, set him on edge, built up until he snapped, though he was getting better about that too. But Mingyu didn’t let these things get to him. He let nerves get to him, even if he was the coolest cucumber in some situations. He’d had to cater a huge event, and the guest had wanted to toast him and his restaurant in thanks, and all Mingyu had to do was stand there and thank the guest, and then wave to the guests. And he was a cleaning tornado the night before, and a sweating mess hours before. Wonwoo had gone to the event with him as comfort, and all was good. Another time was when Mingyu was going to meet Wonwoo’s parents. Holy  _ shit _ that was a bad time, he wasn’t even cleaning, he was  _ crying _ but also  _ laughing _ while he stared at his closet and couldn’t decide what to wear, and he burnt  _ three _ whole chicken breasts because he was so out of it. But Wonwoo was beside him through it all, comforting him and convincing him that his parents and brother really weren’t that bad, and helping him to not burn a fourth chicken breast, and even picking a shirt out for him. 

Mingyu only freaked out over big things. Mingyu only let nerves get to him if it was a huge issue. So what was the issue? They were moved in, they were settled, their apartments out of their names, they weren’t in debt, at least Wonwoo was pretty sure Mingyu wasn’t. They’d met all of one another’s families and friends, so what was this about?

What could possibly be so huge that Mingyu was forcing his mouth shut about it? What couldn’t Mingyu just lay out on the table and share with Wonwoo? What couldn’t Wonwoo know? Shit. Shit, what if Mingyu has plans to propose? 

“Oh my god, Kim Mingyu, I swear to god…” Wonwoo whispers. He shoves a shirt on his body and then runs downstairs to the bathroom, but Mingyu is finished cleaning, so Wonwoo runs to the front door instead, where Mingyu is shifting on his feet. 

“You ready?” Mingyu looks at him expectantly. 

“Yeah,” Wonwoo nods. And they’re off, out the door and on a jog, and the only thought in Wonwoo’s head is  _ how _ Mingyu is going to do it. Maybe at a fancy restaurant, or maybe on their anniversary, which was… no that’s too far away. Wonwoo doesn’t know if he could wait that long, not with this idea swimming in his head and drowning his every thought. What if he does it at Christmas? What if he does it randomly, during date night, or game night with all their friends? What if-

Wonwoo stops, realizing Mingyu is no longer beside him. He’s not sure how long they’ve been jogging, probably only ten minutes, which is nothing for either of them. He stops and turns around, and oh his head is spinning, he’s a few steps back, and he’s down.

One knee on the ground and-

_ Oh. _ He’s tying his shoe. 

Kim Mingyu is not proposing, he’s tying his fucking shoe. 

Wonwoo’s hope plummets, the excitement in his veins freezes in its tracks, and Wonwoo sighs. That was wishful thinking. Mingyu straightens and then sees Wonwoo looking at him and freezes for a moment.

And then he spills it. 

“Wonwoo I accidentally adopted a dog!”

Wonwoo blinks. “How the fuck do you accidentally adopt a dog?”

“Remember how I had too much wine the other day? Well- well I went online and looked at the shelter dogs and- and I filled out an application and then- now we have a dog, or we- we can pick one out, so we can adopt one, and- I’m sorry Wonu!” Mingyu cries. Wonwoo blinks in shock. 

“Gyu, hey, what- why are you crying?” Wonwoo knows he should feel sympathetic, but he wants to laugh, and he’s trying so hard not to, since his boyfriend is  _ crying _ , but this situation is just so totally  _ Mingyu _ that it’s hard not to laugh. 

“I just wanted a dog and now I messed it all up, I should have talked to you about it first, I’m sorry Wonu,” Mingyu sniffles, and Wonwoo just starts laughing and takes the steps to fill the space between them, wrapping Mingyu in his arms. 

“You doofus, you didn’t mess anything up. I wasn’t expecting… this, sure, but. We can get a dog, babe, it’s okay.” Wonwoo laughs. 

“Why are you laughing? I was so scared,” Mingyu whines, but he tucks his head over Wonwoo’s shoulder and clings to him anyways. 

“Cause this is just… so you, so Mingyu. Worrying about something crazy,” Wonwoo giggles. “I love you so much, you accidentally getting us a dog is not an issue. This is like when you went to meet my parents for the first time.”

“It is pretty silly… your mom does love me. I think your mom wishes she could marry me,” Mingyu giggles, sniffling a little. 

“You wanna be done with the jog so we can go to the shelter and pick out our new dog?” Wonwoo asks, and he feels Mingyu nod. 

It wasn’t a proposal, but that’s okay.

And that’s how they end up with Mazie, their little terrier mix. She’s a quiet little dog, and she enjoys walks and sleeping, and she’s the most wonderful addition to their little family. She curls up at their feet or in their laps when they’re on the couch, she sleeps on her own bed every night (they’d tried putting her in their bed the first night and she had removed herself in favor of the bed on the floor, which Wonwoo doesn’t blame her for, because Mingyu tosses and turns in his sleep). She’s a wonderful little dog. 

Even Wonwoo’s mother loves her, and she doesn’t like dogs much. The Jeon family was one of cat people, but it’s a pot of luck that Wonwoo’s mother agrees to take care of her when Mingyu’s family goes on their yearly ski trip around Christmas time. They’ve hardly had Mazie for six weeks now, and have lived in their new house for about the same. Mingyu had hinted at the trip time and time again throughout the year, until the first week of December when he surprised Wonwoo with plane tickets. 

Wonwoo was ecstatic. He’d never been to Europe before, so a trip to the Alps sounded amazing. And with how Mingyu had hyped it up, the resort they always stayed at was wonderful. There were spas and hot springs, ski slopes and a fancy restaurant and bar with the best food. Mingyu also mentioned the big beautiful library tucked into the corner of the lodge, which was much more Wonwoo’s speed. Wonwoo had never skied before, either.

“It’ll be fun, babe! You have to try it  _ once, _ please? They have beginner tracks and classes for it and everything.” Mingyu pouts, while they’re packing for the trip. 

“Yeah for like… babies. I’m gonna look stupid, Mingyu,” Wonwoo whines, sulking in his corner of the room, surrounded by piles of sweaters and thick jackets. 

“No, they have adult classes too.”

“But I don’t want to do them alone! And you’re like… basically a pro at it!” Wonwoo pouts. 

“What if I go to the class with you?” Mingyu tries, and Wonwoo sighs. 

“ _ Only _ if you come with me. And promise not to laugh at me.”

“I would  _ never _ !” Mingyu grins a mischievous smile and Wonwoo groans. 

“You’re totally gonna laugh when I fall.”

And so, they’re on a plane on the way to the Alps for the week, cuddled up in their seats on a red eye, snoring softly until they land, and Mingyu’s parents wake them up and usher them from the plane to the rental car place across from the airport, and they’re driving all the way to the mountains. 

Wonwoo is in awe of his new surroundings, snapping photos of the snowy landscapes, and taking a few photos of Mingyu in his puffy coat with his rosy cheeks as he sips on a hot coffee. Wonwoo is in a winter wonderland, and totally in love, swooning at his boyfriend snoring in the backseat beside him. They finally arrive at the ski lodge, and Mingyu gets them their keys to their cabin. They trudge through four inches of snow on the paths to their door, suitcases in tow, and collapse on the bed with a huff, glad to be done traveling for the time being. 

The two of them do a small amount of unpacking, both putting their Christmas presents for one another aside, and agreeing not to touch them until Christmas morning, and then they cozy up by the fireplace in the corner. 

The next day, Mingyu is up bright and early, already showered and ready to ski, and Wonwoo is still snoring away, so when he wakes up to the clock reading 9:31 am, and a note from Mingyu saying that the lodge’s free breakfast ends at 10, Wonwoo is shoving a sweater on over his bare torso and slipping his boots on to bolt for the lodge. 

There’s almost nothing left, but Wonwoo manages to get a scoop of scrambled eggs and a coffee in his system, and he steals two cinnamon rolls to take back to the cabin, hoping Mingyu will be back from skiing by now. He steps out of the doors onto the little path leading to the cabins and looks around at the snowy hills around him. The early morning sun glistens off the crystals and is blinding in the most beautiful way, casting little frozen rainbows into his vision, making him squint, but taking his breath away. The icy wind rips through his sweater, making him shiver, and then hurry for the cabin. 

When he arrives back, he finds Mingyu lounging on the bed in just sweatpants, his snowy boots by the door, his head sweaty from the beanie he was wearing. He smiles brightly at Wonwoo, and Wonwoo is pretty sure that it’s brighter than the sun reflecting off the snow. 

“Hey, babe. You get some breakfast?” Mingyu asks, eyeing the cinnamon rolls in Wonwoo’s hands. 

“Yep! Brought you back a cinnamon roll,” Wonwoo says, offering the plate out to Mingyu for him to take one. “I think I want to check out the library today.”

“Alright. We can head over there. Tomorrow morning they have that beginner’s ski class, if you really wanted to do it.” 

“How morning is morning?”

“Starts at 11.”

“Perfect, I suppose I’ll try it out.” 

“Then we can ski together!”

“Maybe.”

The library is beautiful, full of glossy stained wood and thick carpeting to cover the squeaky wooden floor beneath. A huge sectional sofa is before the fireplace, with a few blankets thrown over the back, and there are arm chairs scattered throughout the room. There are a few other patrons perusing the selection of books. The walls are stocked full of them, from classics to modern romance novels, the shelves stretching the twelve foot high walls, ladders adorning them for better access. Sunlight streams through some skylights in the lodge’s roof, giving the room a warm glow, and Wonwoo instantly feels at peace. 

“It’s beautiful,” Wonwoo whispers, gazing upon the room in wonder. 

“C’mon, let’s find something to read.”

So Wonwoo searches the shelves, settling on an old Sherlock Holmes story, and a poetry book, and then settles in on a little loveseat in a corner. Mingyu wanders over with the book he’s chosen, a period tale, about a wealthy family and love. It sounds very Jane Austen to Wonwoo, though it does sound intriguing. Wonwoo tucks his legs up under him on the sofa, and Mingyu lays out on the couch next to him, long legs dangling over the arm of the couch, head in Wonwoo’s lap. Wonwoo runs his fingers through Mingyu’s hair between the turning of yellowed pages, and Mingyu shares a headphone with Wonwoo, and gentle rhythms swim in Wonwoo’s head around the words. 

Wonwoo finishes the poetry book in half an hour, his soul feeling heavy in the best way, like when poetry makes you really feel something, and leaves you feeling sad but somehow more understood by the author’s brief but powerful words. 

The two of them spend the better part of the day in the library, Wonwoo powering through his Sherlock Holmes book, and Mingyu getting halfway through his novel before his stomach rumbles loudly in the quiet room. Wonwoo checks his watch and sees it’s almost 6. 

“The fridge in the cabin is stocked, if you want we can cook something up. Or we can order something from the kitchen in the lodge,” Mingyu asks. 

“But I didn’t finish my book.” Wonwoo pouts, but his stomach also grumbles loudly, giving him away. 

“We can check them out with our room number. C’mon, we both need something to eat,” Mingyu sits up, shutting the music off and putting their headphones away. When he stands, he holds a hand out for Wonwoo, who accepts it, and they check their books out, before heading back to their cabin. They agree to order room service from the lounge. Wonwoo orders a hot soup and sandwich, and Mingyu orders a prime rib meal, and they eat at the table in their cabin. It’s quite possibly the best soup Wonwoo has ever had, and it warms him from the inside out. Wonwoo reads more by the dim light of the bedside lamp while Mingyu watches some strange Swiss drama and mumbles funny dialogues for them instead of what they’re really saying. 

Wonwoo ends up getting more lost in Mingyu’s made up dialogue and laughs at it, loud and until his ribs are aching from laughing so hard. Mingyu is laughing and grinning and continuing his dialogue, clearly tickled pink by his ability to make Wonwoo laugh so hard. 

Eventually Wonwoo pulls it together enough to sit up and stop Mingyu’s nonsense dialogue by kissing him, soft, sweet, and slow. Mingyu’s hands find his waist, holding him lazily yet so tenderly, and Wonwoo’s left hand comes up to cup Mingyu’s cheek. It’s one of those kisses that Wonwoo wants to feel for the rest of his life, one of those kisses that warms him all over in a way that doesn’t mean sex, one of those kisses that means pure, undying love, and Wonwoo wants this for his whole life. 

The next morning, Mingyu wakes Wonwoo up with slow, lazy kisses, reminding him that they have the ski class today, and Wonwoo blinks his eyes open to see Mingyu with mussed hair and rosy cheeks from sleep. His lashes flutter sleepily against his cheeks, and his voice is low and groggy with sleep, and it’s undeniably  _ hot _ , but somehow still so heart-fluttering and wonderful. Wonwoo nuzzles his face into Mingyu’s chest and whines about having ‘five more minutes, just for cuddles,’ and Mingyu obliges. 

Eventually they drag themselves from bed and shower together, before heading to the lodge for breakfast, and then to the ski class. Wonwoo is about as graceful as a newborn deer, legs wobbling and slipping out from under him, but after the three hours are up, he’s got enough of a hold on skiing that he can walk with them on, and he’s been down the smallest hill thrice now. Mingyu then begs him to go down the bigger hill, that’s a straightaway and still considered a beginner slope, so Wonwoo caves and heads to the lift with him. 

“What- how do you- you just stand there and let it get you?!” Wonwoo stares at the chairs going slowly by, and Mingyu nods. 

“Yep! It’s not as hard as you think it is, I’ll even tell you when to go. C’mon babe.” Mingyu puts both his poles in one hand and reaches out for Wonwoo’s with his now empty one. Wonwoo takes it, giggling a bit at how bulky their heavy gloves are, but shuffles over to the line for the lift with him. 

The ski lesson is smooth, Wonwoo getting through it with much more grace and ease than he expected, and Mingyu only laughs once when he almost falls. But Wonwoo doesn’t mind. He laughs too. And then he goes down a beginner slope with Mingyu, and they go back to their lodge for lunch when Wonwoo’s stomach rumbles loudly. 

They peel back the layers of winter clothing from one another, noses pink from the cold and toes warm next to the fireplace. Wonwoo isn’t sure how pushing a puffy jacket off his boyfriend’s shoulders is so sensual, or Mingyu tugging the sweatshirt over Wonwoo’s head feels so sexy, but it’s like unwrapping a present. When Mingyu pulls the beanie off his head and cards his fingers through Wonwoo’s hair, something in Wonwoo’s heart leaps and Wonwoo is climbing into Mingyu’s lap, kissing him hungrily. 

“I thought you were hungry,” Mingyu laughs against Wonwoo’s lips. 

“I am hungry,” Wonwoo says, pulling back. “Hungry for you.”

They make out for a few minutes and Wonwoo blows Mingyu eagerly, like it’s the only thing he was ever made to do, and Mingyu is a writing mess below Wonwoo, hands tangled in Wonwoo’s hair and tugging. It’s all over in a few minutes and Wonwoo is still  _ actually _ hungry after, his stomach grumbling again in protest. 

“Let’s actually eat something now, yeah?” Mingyu laughs, chest heaving. 

“Sounds good to me.”

The trip is pure bliss, and it’s over almost too soon, and it’s Christmas day and they’re exchanging gifts with one another, Wonwoo is handing Mingyu the box with the expensive scarf that he’d been eyeing, as well as a sweatshirt from his favorite band, and a note about the record player he’d been wanting for months. Mingyu squeals in delight when he reads the note and bounces around excitedly, and then throws himself into Wonwoo’s arms, hugging him tight. 

“Wonwoo! You’re the best boyfriend, ever!” Mingyu coos. “I love you!”

Wonwoo laughs. “I’m glad you like it. Sorry it’s nothing… sentimental, I’m not great at those things.” Wonwoo chuckles a little.

“Babe, you could get me socks and I’d love them.”

“I know, maybe I should have, since you’re always stealing mine,” Wonwoo laughs. 

“Here, this is my gift. It’s not much, but... I really thought you’d like it,” Mingyu hands a small box over, one that fits in one hand, and Wonwoo’s heart leaps, and his brain is in freak out mode. 

A ring.

_ Oh my god he’s fucking proposing!  _ Every fibre of Wonwoo’s being is screaming, despite his brain rationally telling him that this box is HUGE for a ring, and when Wonwoo gets it unwrapped and sees a black velvet box, his heart is screaming too, despite all warnings from his brain. He opens the box, and there sits a watch.

His heart freezes in its’ excitement, no longer expecting a proposal. He stares at it in wonderment, taking it out of the box, crashing a little from the excitement that he’d just felt. It’s not disappointment, just… not what he thought. He turns it over, and sees his name is engraved in the back, and the watch is definitely an expensive one, and it’s sleek and beautiful. 

“Mingyu, it’s gorgeous,” Wonwoo says breathlessly. 

“You like it?” Mingyu asks hopefully. 

“I love it, thank you so much, Mingyu.” Wonwoo leans in and gives Mingyu a firm kiss, and slips the watch on his wrist. He is, in fact, over the moon, though something similar to disappointment courses through his veins, along with guilt over that disappointment. He voices as much to Jihoon when he gets home, which Jihoon tells him is expected, and isn’t anything to be worried about. 

“You were expecting something more grand. It’s not that you don’t love and appreciate what he gave, you, because you refuse to take it off outside of showering and sleeping. You were just expecting something more, and something that would be important to the both of you, at that. Don’t worry about feeling disappointed,” Jihoon pats his back in affirmation.

Wonwoo decides right then that this was his last straw. If Mingyu won’t propose, then Wonwoo would. 

The new year comes in a blur, and Wonwoo has been ring shopping several times to find the perfect one for Mingyu, calling upon Soonyoung and Jihoon for their advice. Eventually April rolls around, bringing with it Mingyu’s birthday, and Wonwoo still doesn’t have a ring. Wonwoo takes him out to a fancy dinner and a concert he wanted to see, and Mingyu has the time of his life, singing his heart out to one of his favorite musicians in the world, dancing around in the space in front of their seats. Wonwoo’s heart swells at the sight of Mingyu’s smile, and his silly dance moves, and his stomach is in flutters when Mingyu laughs and takes his hands and twirls him around. His skin ignites when Mingyu touches him, and Wonwoo knows he's felt love like no other. 

May rolls around, bringing their second anniversary, but Wonwoo can’t be home for it, since he’s back in Japan again. He offered for Mingyu to come this time, since that’s what sort of spurred them to get together in the first place, but it’s busy season for Mingyu at the restaurant, and he couldn’t take the time off. So they video call on the night of their anniversary, Wonwoo had made a fancy (surprisingly not failed) dessert for Mingyu to eat, and bought him a bottle of his favorite wine to drink while they had a ‘candlelit dinner’ over video call. It’s a cute little thing, and Wonwoo surprises him with a couple’s class at the community center in town, some paint kind of thing that Mingyu absolutely adores doing. Mingyu had packed him his anniversary gift, and Wonwoo opened it on camera for him, and it’s a scrapbook of their trip in the Alps for Christmas, and a little note about the new back porch Mingyu was going to build off their house. 

Wonwoo finally picks out a ring, one he found at a little local shop a few minutes’ drive from their neighborhood. It’s dainty and beautiful, just a thin silver band with a little pattern engraved on it, and intends to propose with it while they’re in New York for Seokmin and Chan’s wedding.

September rolls around, bringing the wedding with it, and Wonwoo’s mom agreeing to take care of Mazie while they’re away. Wonwoo packs for himself and Mingyu, sharing one suitcase between the two of them. He has every intention of packing his carry on when Mingyu isn’t around, and to slip the tiny velvet box into the bag, though for some reason Mingyu seems to be glued to his side the night before the trip, making him go through the checklist with him and ensure that everything is packed. Wonwoo does manage to get his carry on packed, with Mingyu throwing all his own things in and making sure that Wonwoo doesn’t forget anything. By then, it’s almost 2 in the morning and their flight is at 7, so Mingyu tugs him into bed and peppers his face with kisses, and falls asleep on his shoulder. 

Mingyu wakes Wonwoo up with a screech, something about it being 6:15 and their flight leaving without them. It is, in fact, 6:15, and they slept through their 5:30 alarm. So Wonwoo panics, throwing himself out of bed and barely puts a shirt over his head before he’s grabbing their suitcase and running out the door. 

Travel is uneventful, Mingyu’s head on his shoulder as they sleep through the plane ride, the clouds outside the window making a beautiful backdrop for Mingyu’s peaceful face. Wonwoo shifts a little, making Mingyu shift away, before drifting back into sleep. Wonwoo reaches into the carryon backpack under their seat, searching for the ring, excitement filling his chest again. 

But the ring isn’t in there. 

Wonwoo panics. Maybe it’s in his suitcase? Maybe it’s in the other pocket. Maybe its… still tucked in the drawer of his bedside table. Fuck.  _ Fuck. _

When they arrive in New York, Seokmin and Chan are there to pick them up from the airport. They all go out for dinner, Mingyu whining about how hungry he is, and Wonwoo whole-heartedly agreeing. Seokmin and Chan drop them off at their hotel at the end of the night, and Mingyu is insistent on going swimming before the pool closes. 

But only one thing is in Wonwoo’s head, and it’s making sure he hasn’t lost the ring. He’d have to check the suitcase, but he’s 90 percent sure he never put it in there, and it’s absolutely not in their carryon, because he’d meant to tuck it in before they left, when Mingyu wouldn’t have seen, and in his panic this morning, he’s pretty sure he’d totally left it in there.

“I’ll meet you down there, babe. I have to call my mom and let her know we arrived safely,” Wonwoo says, pressing a kiss to Mingyu’s cheek. 

“Alright, see you in a few!” Mingyu beams at him and heads out the door. 

Wonwoo throws himself at the suitcase, rummaging through every pocket to find it. Nothing. Wonwoo dials his mom’s number, absolutely panicking. 

“Wonwoo! How is New York?” 

“Mom, I bought a ring to propose to Mingyu with and I was supposed to bring it with me and I can’t find it,  _ please _ tell me it’s upstairs in my bedside table,” Wonwoo blurts. 

“Oh dear. Let me go check,” his mother says, and Wonwoo can hear her shuffling around, kindly telling Mazie to ‘look out, honey,’ and the telltale creak of their home’s floorboards. “Let’s see, your bedside table is which one?”

“The one on the left.” Wonwoo says. He can hear her open the drawer and she sighs. 

“It is here. Ooh, it’s beautiful! He’ll love it, Wonwoo.”

“I know, I- I can’t believe I left it at home!” Wonwoo groans. “I’ve been planning this for weeks now, Seokmin and Chan knew about it and everything, and they… dammit, I’ll have to tell them. Thanks for looking, mom. And thank you again for looking after Mazie. I’m sure she’ll love the company while we’re gone.” 

“Of course honey. I’m sorry you forgot it. I’ll see you in a week! Go have fun.”

“Love you, mom!”

And with that, Wonwoo slips into swim trunks and heads down to the hotel pool, rather disheartened. 

Seokmin and Chan both lose it when Wonwoo tells him he left the engagement band at home. Jihoon and Soonyoung laugh about it when they hear about it, but all of them remain quiet about it around Mingyu. 

Seokmin and Chan’s wedding rolls around, the fourth day that they’re all in New York, and it’s a beautiful ceremony at a vineyard about two hours outside the city, the rolling hills of the countryside surrounding them. They’re both absolutely  _ glowing _ , bright, wide smiles, and tender looks in their eyes. They both wear pure white suits, perhaps a bit cheesy for Wonwoo’s taste, but they both look wonderful, and they look so pure and  _ in love _ , even after all the years they’ve been together. 

They’ve got something indescribable, something timeless, something that Wonwoo would call true love. Something that Wonwoo knows well, something that Wonwoo found in Mingyu, something that Wonwoo wants to have for the rest of his life. Seokmin and Chan have something beautiful, something unique to them, but they radiate it, an undying love for one another, complete faith in one another, a brightness like the sun, and absolute happiness. It’s pure, and true, like the very picture of love.

Wonwoo wonders what his love for Mingyu looks like to other people. The two of them exchange their vows and Wonwoo looks over to Mingyu on the other side of the wedding party, whose eyes are sparkling with the most wonderful shine of happiness, and the smile on his face is tender, and Wonwoo can’t tear his eyes away when Mingyu’s eyes go a little teary. Wonwoo must catch Mingyu’s eyes because he gives him a look like ‘wow, look at me, I’m so choked up,’ and Wonwoo’s smile brightens just a little more at that. 

He turns his attention back to the grooms, who are sharing their loving words with one another, an intimate moment they’re sharing with everyone, and Wonwoo listens intently to their words, to their promises to one another, promises that Wonwoo knows they’ll keep, because they’re two of the most loyal people Wonwoo has ever met, even in their friendships, let alone to one another, and they’re making promises they’ve already begun to keep to one another. 

They kiss, and the people watching cheer for them, and everyone exits the little building and waits for them to come out, bells ringing, and they throw white petals over them as they go, hand in hand, perfect image of newly weds. 

Mingyu and Wonwoo fly home three days later, Wonwoo exhausted from jet lag and sightseeing, and Soonyoung and Jihoon are on this flight with them, sitting a few aisle over, and Wonwoo looks at them, now married for a little over two years now, with a baby they adopted, and they’re as in love as ever. They’re a wonderful pair, the two of them, and they’ve been through hell and back together, and they’ve put up with all of Wonwoo’s bullshit for years, and Wonwoo couldn’t imagine the two of them not being together. 

He’d been friends with Jihoon since middle school, and Jihoon had always been a hopeless romantic type, falling in ‘love’ at the slightest glance, and he’d had boyfriends and girlfriends as they grew up, sure. He thought he was in love with every one of them. Then they went to college together, and he’d met Soonyoung at a college party, and Wonwoo knew from that moment, when the round faced, smiley, wild history major Soonyoung had stumbled over his words introducing himself to Jihoon, that Jihoon was gone for Soonyoung.

Wonwoo and Jihoon both knew that Soonyoung was Jihoon’s real love, that Soonyoung was truly that love that he’d been looking for his whole life, since Wonwoo knew Jihoon better than anyone. And here they are, ten years later, two years into their marriage, and another example in Wonwoo’s life of true love. 

So why had Wonwoo ever felt that Minghao could be his true love? Why had Wonwoo been so afraid of something that was so safe, so wonderful, so spectacular? Why was he afraid of something that people dreamed about their whole lives?

Somehow, Wonwoo had found all of that in Mingyu. Wonwoo had found that ‘true love,’ as cheesy and rom-com as that sounds. Wonwoo couldn’t see a future with anyone else, not even Minghao when he’d been with him. The universe was strange sometimes, and worked in ways that Wonwoo could never tell. 

They arrive home at almost 4 in the morning, exhausted and dead to the world, and Wonwoo kicks his shoes off in the entryway to go let Mazie out, and Mingyu lugs their suitcase up to the bedroom. Wonwoo lets Mazie out, bleary eyed and yawning as he waits for her to do what she needs to do, looking at the dawn beginning to break over the horizon. 

He jumps about a mile when he hears Mingyu screaming his name, concern filling him to the brim. Wonwoo calls Mazie inside and then hurries up to their room to check on Mingyu, to find him clutching the tiny velvet box, staring in wonderment at the ring that Wonwoo had so carefully concealed. 

“Wonwoo, what the hell is this!?” Mingyu looks from the ring to Wonwoo and Wonwoo winces. 

“An- an engagement ring…” Wonwoo mumbles. “Where did you find that?”

“It was sitting on your bedside table! Wonwoo are you- you’re going to propose?”

“Well I was going to, in New York, and then we woke up late and I forgot to pack it, like a dumbass,” Wonwoo sighs. “I- I wanted to surprise you, I wanted to make it something romantic, that you’d remember forever. I dunno, it was kind of stupid, but… I mean, you’ve found it, so there goes that plan.”

“Fuck, Wonu, hold on. Hold on,” Mingyu rolls over to his side of the bed and rummages around, reaching to the back and pulling out a tiny velvet box. “I was going to propose to you. Not in New York, I only bought the ring a couple of weeks ago, but…” 

Wonwoo stares at the second little box. 

And then he starts laughing. “Oh my god, we’re a disaster of a couple.” 

Mingyu laughs too, and stands to wrap Wonwoo up. “We are, but I love that.”

“I love you, Mingyu, so much…” Wonwoo whispers into Mingyu’s shoulder.

“I love you too. So we’re getting married?”

“Yeah, we are.”

  
  


Wonwoo cries at the altar again, though this time it’s tears of joy, as he exchanges vows with his husband, afraid of nothing, so long as Mingyu is by his side. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the end! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this series from the beginning, it's been a whole year in the making, and has been my biggest writing project thus far.  
> 


End file.
